Sunday, 17 February 2013

Fort Cochin - Day 5

A 9:30 pick up by the local tour guide and our driver
started our day. We walked through Eranakulam market, learning the names
of each unknown fruit or vegetable. The people in the market were
friendly and oh so willing to stop what they were doing to share with
us. Many here in Kerala speak English so travelling around as tourists
asking questions is not difficult. So many beautiful smiles! You felt an
instant welcome.

After learning where and what is available in
the market we went to Nimmy Paul's for a cooking lesson and of course
lunch. I learned how to cook fish, fish that I who am not a fancier of
fish, enjoyed every morsel. I have the recipe and will be trying it at
home.
Nimmy had a great set up for her cooking school. The big mirror
hanging up behind her cooking area let us see everything she was doing.
She is a very pleasant woman ready to share her recipes as well as her
home and her family. Her husband sat with us at lunch, the perfect host.

A
little down time back at our hotel (it is quiet warm here and the
hotel/ van air conditioning an important break) we boarded a small
tourist boat at the hotel dock and had a pleasant couple of hours in the
harbour giving us a chance to experience at a closer distance the
fishing boats and harbour life.Our boat trip ended at sunset, perfectly
timed so we were in the right place to photograph the Chinese fishing
nets. My mini memory doesn't do it justice but I know down the road when
I pick up this painting journal it will trigger this memory which my
brain will then take closer to the real thing.

Skies on fire!

Back to you at my next Internet access. I don't think the backwaters will give me this opportunity but hopefully time to paint.